from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,

Laperriere had a lot to say Saturday – about his cameo in the Judd Apatow movie This Is 40; about his health; about the NHL’s concussion protocols, and most interestingly about the mindset of the professional athlete, and how some are prepared to do whatever it takes to stay in the lineup, even if it means playing hurt.

Laperriere prefaced his remarks by suggesting concussion awareness has improved dramatically since his career began, noting that: “My first concussion, I missed a week and I had a bad one. I had a seizure on the ice. In a week or two, I was back.

“I think the league is doing a great job. They are doing the best they can. I don’t think anybody knows of a big miracle test – and I think the big problem with the concussions is the testing. You’re asking a young kid who’s been playing through so much pain all his life to get here to tell the truth about how you feel. And you’ve been rewarding that kid for years because he’s played through injuries.

“I felt like that. I played in the final with concussion syndrome, but I’d been brainwashed all my life – and it’s nothing against anybody. I was just brainwashed like that, and that’s why I made it (to the NHL). Now you’re trying to change that philosophy and way of thinking for those kids – and it’s tough.

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